Erin Cigich, 38

Work-life balance is a work in progress for Erin Cigich, 38, the CEO of Perform[cb], an outcome-based marketing company headquartered in Sarasota. Seven years ago, when she was eight months pregnant with her second daughter and technically on maternity leave, she helped lead the sale of the company to a private-equity firm. 

“That presented some interesting and, um, exciting timing,” she recalls. “My husband, at the same time, had Achilles’ tendon surgery. He can’t walk. Then we’ve got a newborn, and newborns want nothing more than to be walked around the house so they don’t scream. That was a stressful time.” 

Cigich remained with Perform[cb] after that sale, and then another a few years later. Her loyalty has been rewarded as the company, which specializes in digital customer acquisition strategies for name brands such as Lending Tree and McAfee, has enjoyed consistent double-digit revenue growth over the past five years.